The Kano State Fire Service has confirmed that three people lost their lives and one other was injured in two separate fire incidents that occurred on Friday across the state.
The details were contained in a statement released on Saturday by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi.
According to the statement, the first incident happened at about 1:30 p.m. at the Kura Market junction along Zaria Road when a petrol tanker carrying 30,000 litres of fuel overturned and exploded. The tanker, with registration number NGZ 250 XA, reportedly knocked down a cyclist before bursting into flames.
A retired Civil Defence officer, Danlami Muhammad, placed the emergency call that led to the rapid deployment of firefighters from the headquarters.
“On arrival, our men found the tanker completely engulfed in flames. Four people were involved; three were rescued unconscious and later confirmed dead, while the cyclist survived,” the statement said.
Firefighters, supported by personnel from the police and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), eventually extinguished the fire.
The remains of the victims were handed over to ASP Ahmad Lawan of the Kura Police Division. Two fire trucks—one from the headquarters and another from the Kura station—were deployed. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
A second incident occurred around 2:45 p.m. the same day when fire swept through the upper floor of Hamisu Plaza along Maiduguri Road in Taruni Local Government Area.
Firefighters arrived to find the top floor of the two-storey commercial complex in flames. Three shops were completely destroyed, but the team successfully prevented the fire from spreading to the lower floors.
A fire truck stationed at the ongoing trade fair was used to speed up the response. The cause of the blaze is still being investigated.
The Director of the Fire Service, Alhaji Sani Anas, urged residents to exercise caution in handling fire, especially during the harmattan season. He also called on motorists to obey traffic regulations to avoid preventable accidents.
Kano State has witnessed a series of fire tragedies in recent weeks. Just nine days earlier, four members of a family died in a dawn inferno at Kundila Layin Baba Impossible in Tarauni LGA. On November 11, 2025, a major blaze at the Singer Market destroyed at least 25 temporary shops and 19 stores in Kano metropolis.
